APECO’s Master Development Plan is an initial blueprint designed to guide the sustainable growth and development of the region.
Updating the Master Development Plan is critical to redefining APECO's development trajectory. The updated plan meticulously outlines the strategic allocation of land use, infrastructure development, environmental protection and economic initiatives to create a balanced and thriving community within the province of Aurora. It aims to provide a clear, strategic and achievable roadmap for the physical development and operational growth over the next decade and beyond. It includes a detailed assessment of the current situation, identification of potential growth areas, analysis of market trends, and alignment with regional and national development plans.
APECO aims to optimize the allocation of land use for the following purposes:
1. Attract Investments
• Dedicated industrial zones: Allocate specific areas for manufacturing, assembly,
and warehousing facilities, prioritizing industries that align with the ecozone's
sustainable development goals.
• Commercial and tourism zones: Designate land for retail, offices, resorts, hotels, and
other tourism-related businesses to attract visitors and investors.
2. Promote Sustainable Development
• Green zones: Provide ample land for parks, green spaces, and nature reserves to
preserve the environment and enhance the attractiveness of the ecozone.
• Eco-friendly infrastructure: Ensuring that infrastructure development, such as
roads, utilities, and public facilities, adheres to sustainable principles, and minimizes
environmental impact.
3. Enhance Liveability
• Residential zones: Provide adequate housing for ecozone workers and their families,
promoting sustainable housing practices and community development.
• Public facilities: Allocate land for essential public services like schools, hospitals, and
community centers to improve the quality of life for residents.
4. Optimize Resource Use
• Efficient land use: Strategic zoning and planning that minimizes land fragmentation
and maximizes land use efficiency.
• Cluster development: Grouping of similar industries or functions to reduce
infrastructure costs and improve operational efficiency.
By strategically allocating land for different uses, the Preliminary Comprehensive
Master Development Plan aims to create a balanced and sustainable ecozone that
attracts investment, generate employment, and preserves the environment.
The Comprehensive Master Development Plan will play an important role in guiding and managing the development and use of land within APECO towards the achievement of its vision.
The proposed land use map of APECO Parcel 1 reflects a multi-nodal thematic spatial strategy where the existing land uses identified in the previous master plan have been enhanced and aligned with the current APECO vision.
The Multi-Nodal Thematic Spatial Strategy consists of distinct nodes of development corridors or growth centers identified as follows: a) Industrial Zone; b) Mixed-Use Zone; c) Tourism Zone; d) Greenbelt Zone and e) Utilities, Transportation and Services Zone.
The industrial zone will house manufacturing processes and activities that may range from production for limited energy consumption (light industry) to more intensive manufacturing activities (medium industry). The large-scale production process that characterizes heavy industry is targeted for APECO's Parcel 2.
The mixed-use zone will serve as the commercial hub of the ecozone, where concentration of commercial and other related activities will be allowed. The mixed-use area will be developed as the "urban gateway" of the ecozone and will serve as the ecozone's place of identity and integration - where the campus is located; as a public attraction - where the APECO Grand Lagoon development is envisioned; and as a place for retail, business, trade, services and local culture.
Meanwhile, the tourism growth area, which is located at the edges of the ecozone facing the sea, will be used for the promotion and development of ecotourism. Considering that the main economic activity in the locality and the region is agri-agro, the establishment of an agri-aqua zone will provide a relative ease in regulating land use and land use conversion and protecting prime agricultural lands. Having an agri-aqua zone will also be in line with the region's identity as an area driven by an agricultural economy and will differentiate APECO from other ecozones by having food security as one of its focal development industries. Within this zone, activities related to agricultural and aquaculture production and development will be promoted, including the development of light industries and facilities that support agri-aqua development.
The institutional zone will include educational and public offices while the utilities, transportation and services zone will locate support facilities to the operation of the ecozone. In addition to the existing initial corridor developments, existing "green belts" such as mangrove areas and other ecological systems surrounding the ecozone will be categorized as green corridors. Additional green spaces will be integrated into the open spaces between these five development corridors to define and support the vision of "a green transshipment and defense hub.”
The Multi-Nodal Thematic Spatial Strategy will promote the concept of developing a green transshipment and defense hub within the five development corridors, in addition to the establishment of green areas to support quality of life. These development corridors will be actively developed while creating development potential for climate adaptation. Innovative climate adaptation strategies will be incorporated into the proposed development.
Through these proposed spatial layout, the development of the APECO will ensure the balanced distribution of development encompassing the urban and rural areas for the achievement of economic and social growth in accordance with sustainable development policies.
The six (6) development corridors will be interconnected by a spine road as reflected in the proposed circulation and transportation network to support increased accessibility of all the corridors. The connection between these different development corridors provided by the spine road is intended to transform the nodes into more vibrant development centers, thus stimulating the economies of the corridors that support each other.
Nodes that will have a high urban texture and population, such as the tourism zone and industrial zones, will be supported with public transportation hubs and docks. Pedestrian walkway systems and TOD investments will be increased.
